This video marketing guide is designed to help you get started in your video strategy. You will be able to launch your first masterpiece and many others after that.

Before we dive into the details of creating a video, let’s take a look at why video marketing is so important for your success.

What’s video marketing?

Video Marketing is using video for your business promotion. This term encompasses all aspects of creating and launching videos including

• Budgeting for your project
• Write a script
• Editing footage
• Promoting your video
• Analyzing your video analytics

Video can help increase leads and revenue.

There are two reasons you need a strategy for video

the video has been proven to be a valuable tool for marketers. video can help you grow and develop your business. 

These two reasons are just two to invest in a video strategy

1. Videos can be used to assist with search engine optimization (SEO).

High-quality videos can increase page views. A simple act like this can result in a boost to search engine results pages.

A Wistia study showed that videos increase search traffic which in turn leads to more people viewing your brand. 

Google offers featured videos for specific search terms. This could result in a higher click-through rate (CTR), from SERPs, and possibly more traffic.

Google might show you in its video search result results. This will give you the most SEO power.

2. Video motivates people to act

95% of customers say video helped them decide what product to buy.

also have 35% higher conversion rates online and 30% more click-through rates when they use video marketing 

Video can help you achieve your goals even if it’s not about increasing sales.

Video is a popular method for people to learn new information. You need the right equipment for your business.

Do not just grab your phone and record. Take the time to plan what you’ll create.

If you’re ready to create a video but aren’t sure how here are some tips. 

How do you start your video strategy

1. Set goals for your video

It’s been said before: Do not start recording videos until you know what you want.

Although it may seem obvious, success can be measured in terms of how many views your videos get and how many shares you receive. It’s important to choose metrics that are in line with your overall goals.

These common video goals are

• Increase time spent on your pages
• New leads generated
• Boosting sales
• Conversion rates can easily be increased

2. You have the option to share your videos

Your goals and other aspects can be affected by where you share your videos. Before you begin creating videos, it is important to plan how they will be distributed.

There are many ways to get your videos in front of your audience. Don’t let the multitude of distribution options overwhelm you! Instead, focus on where your audience is most active online.

Your website is an excellent place to start planning for your multimedia content. 

When you upload a video to your website, it is best to do so in small numbers.

Instead of uploading directly to your website, embed your video by using a third-party hosting provider like Wistia or Vimeo.

If you intend to share your video beyond your site, it is important to read the upload guidelines. 

Different platforms can have different best practices. To avoid wasting time and money on things that don’t work, do your research.

Share your video on these other platforms than your website:

• Your email marketing software
• YouTube
• Facebook
• LinkedIn
• TikTok
• Google Ads

Your email marketing software will not allow you to embed your video directly due to limitations from email platforms. You will instead link to a page with your video. 

You need to know if your video will be used in a paid advertisement or for something natural (unpaid) like a regular social media post. 

3. Select a video type

After you have decided on your goals and where you want to share the video, you can choose what kind of video you want.

There are many kinds of videos you can choose from. We’ll be covering some in this video marketing guide.

Business videos may be placed in five different categories.

1. Videos to help with employee recruitment
2. Introduction to Business
3. Educational explanation videos
4. Videos showing product or service
5. Videos to help customers in their recruitment

Below is a list of all types of business videos:

1. Videos for employee recruitment

These videos can be used to recruit potential candidates for your team.

There are many methods to grow your team.

• The day of your employees
• Share testimonials
• Introduce people into your culture

Recently, we offered potential applicants a virtual tour of our Harrisburg office. You can view it below.

2. Video introduction for business

This video type lets you tell the world about your company and what it does.

Introduce people to your company by using

• Explanatory
• Showcase the work of your team
• Share your origin story

3. Educational explanation videos

Showing your customers that you are knowledgeable about your industry is a great way of building trust. 

Highlight your knowledge and educate your audience with

• Answering common questions
• How to explain a topic relevant to your business
• Showing how you can accomplish a task related to your business

Below is a link to one of the Kobe Digital YouTube channels. This channel contains many videos about how to market your company online.

4. Videos for product or service

Video lets people experience your business offerings.

You can have your products and services featured by:

• Announcement for new features and packages
• Showcase your products and services in action
• Offer an insider’s perspective of your products and services

5. Videos for customer recruitment

Customers can be convinced by your video strategy that you’re the right company for them.

Turn more people into customers with

• Current customers’ testimonials
• Highlighting your achievements
• Explaining your sales process

If you’re looking for a sample testimonial, our portfolio can be a great place to begin.

How to make videos

Now let’s look at how to create a video strategy.

Anatomy of a Video: Preproduction

Preproduction is where you finalize all details before moving on to production 

These actions are part of the pre-production phase.

1. Setting your budget

To produce a high-quality video, you don’t need to be a professional filmmaker or have $100,000. You might consider allocating some of your marketing budgets to professional video production.

Budget for your team’s time, equipment, editing software, and food.

Consider how much you’ll spend on the video if it’s to be used for a paid advertisement.

While hiring a video agency may increase your investment, it’s well worth it if you don’t have the video skills.

2. Create your script

A script ensures that your videos stay on topic, your business appears professional, and your video talent highlights the important points.

You don’t have to follow a script, but knowing what you want can help you plan for different shots with the camera. 

Write the script the same way you would talk if given the task. 

Create a list with all the shots you need to complete the video. This will help you stay organized and estimate how long it will take.

3. Find your talent and hire your crew

Consider the experience of your team. Are you willing to learn video marketing from someone who isn’t an experienced videographer?

For the initial few videos, you may need to outsource professionals.

Your budget will determine how many people you can hire, especially if you’re hiring freelancers or agencies.

4. Choosing your location

Will your video be shot in your office? In a busy area? In the desert?

You should consider the cost and time of transport before you plan where to shoot. 

It is possible to save time and stress by not making a video before.

This is the perfect place to shoot video.

• Is quiet
• Natural lighting is abundant
• Has no major echo
• Clear and clutter-free
• It’s well-decorated

While you can make adjustments like lighting and furniture to create an echo, it’s better to have a smaller space ready for video.

Now that you’ve finished your video planning, it’s time for the production stage. 

Anatomy of a Video: Production

Now it’s time to move on to the production stage. These are the steps:

5. Get what you need

A wise professor once told me that garbage is garbage everywhere. You need to ensure that you get the video correct the first time.

It doesn’t matter if the recording is bad. It will only get worse if you edit it.

Take the time to review your video footage before you quit.

6. Get the right camera for you

A video agency will provide their camera if you are working with them. If you want to shoot your video yourself, however, you will need to buy a camera.

A cinema camera does not have to be more expensive than a college education. 

Do you use a smartphone with a built-in camera? If so, you can either stabilize it on a tripod (or prop it up with something else) and then hit record.

If you plan to create videos often, you might consider buying a DSLR or a mirrorless digital camera. You can capture professional-looking footage with this camera.

It doesn’t take a lot of money to get a good camera. 

Select the model that you feel most at ease with.

You can leave the settings alone and set the camera to auto. It is important to be familiar with the basics of your camera to create the best look for your video.

Here are some terms you should know about cameras:

• ISO – Your camera’s sensitivity to light.
• The aperture is part of the camera that controls how light is allowed into.
• Shutter speed refers to the shutter speed of a camera.
• White balance: A measure of how warm or cold a shot is.   

Adobe’s camera manual gives more details about the most important camera terms.

7. Get your audio right

The video is not the only part of your shoot. Sometimes the audio may be more important than the video.

Cameras are standard with a microphone, but it can sometimes be difficult to understand the audio.

When someone speaks on camera but you don’t have a microphone, a camera, or a microphone, try to get close enough to hear the subject. The mic picks up more noise from the room around it the farther away it is.

Noise can also be heard in quiet spaces. 

If you don’t have the time or budget to purchase a microphone, you can use your phone’s voice recording app. Hit the record button.

editing software is available to sync audio tracks.

Professional microphones do not have to be costly, as you might imagine.

Lavalier microphones can be clipped to your video talent, or mounted on a camera or mic stand. They provide excellent audio at a great price.

8. Set your lighting

Lighting is crucial for a good shot. 

Use natural light for your subject. If the background is too bright, the subject will appear underexposed.

Outdoor shooting is great for lighting but you’ll only be able to keep your videos consistent for a very short time. If you keep shooting until 6:00 PM, the lighting will change dramatically. You may also experience audio problems such as wind and cars passing.

Indoor video shootings give you more control over lighting and other elements.

Use a three-point lighting system to make your videos look professional. Add lights to create shadows and make your subject stand out against the background.

After you have all the clips you need, you can begin the editing phase. Next is the post-production phase.

Video anatomy: Post-production

Post-production is the final step to creating a cohesive product using all your audio and video. 

You might have forgotten something or want to add something new to your shoot. 

Outsourcing your video production will likely result in higher costs for additional shoots and reshoots. It is better to get it right the first time.

Let’s dive into what you can do after-production.

9. Organize your footage

It is important to track which takes you, which broll footage is the most important, and which clips should be left alone.

After the shoot, back up your footage. Save any media or documents.

To organize clips that are good or not, you can create folders. You will be able to see what clips to use to edit.

10. Edit your footage

Editing software is only half of the battle. You also need to know how to combine your clips.

An outline or script will guide you through the editing process. You can also label your clips to decide which ones to include in your video.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. 

Graphics can be included in your video editor software. You have the option to customize them and choose the best.

But don’t go overboard with all the effects.

Your audio should be balanced. Dialogue should not exceed -12db. Some people suggest that music and sound effects should be lower.

You can change the color of your video by changing the exposure. 

11. Your video is now available.

Don’t try to make your video perfect 

After you’re satisfied with your edits, export the document and give feedback to others 

It is also a good idea to ask viewers who are giving feedback if there was an error or want it corrected. 

Now it’s time to launch the big launch.

Promoting your video

You can upload your video online. We need your creation all over the world.

A video doesn’t have to be shot in one location. You can reuse your content on different channels to maximize your video strategy.

You may need to edit multiple versions, depending on how you share your video.

Let’s say you want to drive more people to a page on your website where your embedded videos are.

• Share a preview of your video on social media with a link to the full video.

• Encourage members of your team to share the video with friends and family

• Ask your subscribers to view the video by sending an email.

• Create a YouTube video advertisement to direct people to your website

• Contact industry bloggers and influencers to see if your video could be linked.

Keep in mind that you should share your video where your audience is most active

How do you measure success with your video?

Once you have published your content, your video strategy does not end there. You need to track the video’s performance over time.

Can you recall the video production goals? It’s a good idea to compare your metrics with the time before and after the video was launched.

If the video was added to your site, Google Analytics is a tool that can track website performance. You can compare conversion rates between those who watched it and those who did not.

It is possible that you are not reaching your video goals. You may notice that your video goals are not being met.

To get your video moving, you may need to add a thumbnail or an intro video.

This video marketing guide can help you create videos that are memorable and resonate with your audience.

Kobe Digital is an organization of professionals who can deal with all aspects of video measurement.

Our transparent video process will help you improve your bottom line. Call us today or email to learn more about video advertising